1 research outputs found
Competitive Usability and the Catalogue: A Process for Justification and Selection of a Next-Generation Catalogue or Web-Scale Discovery System
This case study demonstrates how competitive usability testing informs
the selection and purchase of a next-generation catalogue
(NGC) or Web-scale discovery system (WSDS) to enhance a current
library catalogue. Using competitive usability techniques, the
authors explain how different NGCs and WSDSs solve issues that
catalogue users may face when searching for materials in the online
catalogue. The goal of this study is to provide a framework that identifies
concrete evidence in support of purchase recommendations
for an effective system that adequately addresses locally identified
issues with catalogue searches. The process of selecting live system
implementations from peer institutions is outlined. Steps include
surveying library staff about their current library catalogue. Survey
results and documented reference questions provided the foundation
for user tasks created by testers for use in this study. This multifaceted
research design resulted in a case study that captures current
issues that users encounter in the discovery and access to library
materials and shows how to include competitive usability techniques
as part of a purchase rationale while assessing how well a variety of
next-generation discovery and access systems address users’ issues.published or submitted for publicatio